Better known to many of her readers as a lobster fisherman, Linda Greenlaw hadn't been bluewater fishing for ten years—not since the events chronicled in Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm and her own The Hungry Ocean. But when lobstering runs dry and her bills pile up, she takes up a friend's offer to captain a 63-footer for a season of swordfishing on Newfoundland's Grand Banks—despite the Seahawk being a rust bucket with failing equipment, Greenlaw's steep relearning curve, and a new crew. But these all seem like minor inconveniences after her lines cross into Canadian waters and Greenlaw gets thrown in jail.

"Greenlaw chronicles it all—a busted engine, a malfunctioning ice machine, squirrelly technology—with an absorbing mix of nautical expertise and self-deprecation. After inspecting the Seahawk, Greenlaw calls it rough, but stable and capable. Then she writes, 'Although I was referring to the boat, I couldn't help thinking the same could be said of her captain.' From mishaps to fish tales, Greenlaw keeps her narrative suspenseful. Between bad luck and self-doubt, she moves from experience to wisdom, guiding both crew and readers on a voyage of self-affirmation."—Publishers Weekly